Plaid Cymru leader confronted by gender critical feminists over party's stance on women's rights

Martin Shipton

Gender critical feminists confronted Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth at an open meeting over his party’s stance on women-only spaces.

Campaigners from north east Wales gathered at Mr ap Iorwerth’s meeting in Wrexham to see if he would signal a change in Plaid’s approach to the issue since the Supreme Court ruling in April that references to “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex.

The Welsh Government has committed to issuing new guidance on the implications of the judgment.

Gender critical feminists oppose Plaid’s current policy, which supports the right of anyone to lawfully self-identify in the gender of their choice. They argue that the policy deprives women of their rights.

Those who attended Mr ap Iorwerth’s meeting argued that, as a result of the Supreme Court ruling, it is now clear that where a single sex service for women has been provided it must exclude all men, regardless of how they identify themselves.

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Senedd election

Such campaigners in Wales now plan to ask all the parties standing in next May’s Senedd election to commit to supporting the judgment, “ensuring their policies are compliant with the law, and respecting women’s rights to privacy, dignity and safety.”

Sue, a member of the campaign group, said: “We call on Plaid to publicly state they will work within the law and make sure the right of women and girls to single sex spaces is enforced”, adding: “Plaid puts the rights of a trans minority above the rights and safety of 51% of the population”.

Sue claimed the evidence presented by the women painted a worrying picture about the party’s attitudes to women and their rights. Last year, women’s rights charity FiLiA had booked a stand at Plaid Cymru’s conference, hoping to use the opportunity to talk to delegates and Plaid politicians about a range of grassroots campaigns they support.

With less than 48 hours to go, the charity was told that they would not be welcome, and their booking was revoked. Plaid said: “Some of FiLiA’s positions are potentially contrary to the party’s values - for instance on trans rights.”

The party later admitted that it had acted unlawfully in excluding FiLiA from the conference.

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Discrimination

Asked about this at the Wrexham event, Mr ap Iorwerth denied breaching the Equality Act in excluding the charity from the conference, despite reports at the time showing that the party admitted discrimination against the charity.

The women distributed leaflets at the Wrexham event outlining their key questions to Plaid’s leader.

They pointed out that the party’s own Prosiect Pawb report, commissioned internally after troubling reports which made media headlines under previous leader Adam Price, found a “culture of … misogyny”.

The women claimed that anecdotal reports to them from Plaid members indicated that women trying to discuss women’s rights to safety, privacy and dignity in single sex spaces were still subject to bullying, harassment and silencing. They asserted that the current leader’s message of tolerance seemed only to have been extended to certain groups, including those who argue publicly against women’s rights.

The campaigners said they were aware of a significant number of women who had felt unable to continue their membership due to this.

Replying to one of the campaigners in the meeting, Mr ap Iorweth said that the party will comply with the Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act but that it was important to ensure all rights are balanced. The group pointed to the lack of compliance and balance in Plaid’s current policy as published on the party website which pledges to “Uphold trans people’s right to continue to access services and facilities in accordance with their gender identity”.

A member of Women’s Rights Network, Sarah from Wrexham said “I don’t think people are aware of what this really means. It sounds nice to talk about being kind and fair and including everyone according to what they want, but Plaid’s policy means women and girls have to accept men in their changing rooms, public toilets and sports. Most women don’t want to be vulnerable or in a state of undress with a man they don’t know. Most parents don’t want their young daughters to be exposed to adult male strangers in a changing room.

“The reality is that Plaid’s policies aren’t kind or fair to women and girls – we have a right to privacy, dignity and safety.”

Trust

Merched Cymru, a grassroots organisation of women in Wales working to protect and strengthen the rights of women and girls said “The Party of Wales has ambitions to dethrone Welsh Labour in 2026, but they need to address the policies advertised on their website if they want to regain the trust of women voters.”

Cathy Larkman, a director of Women’s Rights Network and campaign lead for the Network in Wales, said: “I’m very concerned about Plaid’s attitude and policies. I applaud this group, many of them our members, for trying to clarify what these are and what this means for women’s rights.

“Rhun ap Iorwerth doesn’t seem to understand that the party can’t comply with the Equality Act if he continues to endorse a policy that some men can choose to use women’s spaces and services - either all men are excluded from women’s spaces or none are and there are situations when women and girls need single sex services and spaces.

“I’m even more concerned that others in the party seem not to accept the Supreme Court ruling at all and do not accept that women and girls need, and are legally entitled to, single sex spaces."

Wales Women’s Rights Network said they had been disappointed by Mr ap Iorwerth’s unwillingness to engage meaningfully with them in the past. Ms Larkman said: “Wales WRN have written again to Rhun this week to request a meeting to discuss the issues raised by these women campaigners ahead of the development of Plaid Cymru’s manifesto for the 2026 Senedd elections. We’ve noted what he had to say at this meeting but the women of Wales need and deserve more than this.

“And this doesn’t just apply to Plaid – we’re putting all the parties on notice – respect our sex if you want our X!”

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson responded: “Plaid Cymru believes that every person should have the inalienable right to live free from prejudice, discrimination and persecution.

"Tolerance, respect, and dignity are rooted in Plaid Cymru’s values, and our commitment to protecting the rights of all will remain at the heart of everything we stand for.”